


Firefighters and Puppies

by CelestialVoid



Category: The Darkest Minds (2018), The Darkest Minds Series - Alexandra Bracken
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Firefighters, Alternate Universe - Normal Life, Bickering, Crack, Domestic Fluff, Firefighter Calendar, Firefighter Cole, Firefighters, Fluff, Fluff and Crack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 10:54:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16575089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialVoid/pseuds/CelestialVoid
Summary: Liam bought the firefighter calendar to help raise funds for the local children’s hospital, but he never expected to see his brother, half-naked and covered in sweat and ash.





	Firefighters and Puppies

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [liamdarlinstweart's post on Tumblr](http://liamdarlinstewart.tumblr.com/post/147651248160/cole-as-a-firefighter-cole-as-a-firefighter).

Liam always made an entrance without intending to, often he would trip over the threshold and fall through the door or he would come in talking and laughing. And then there were times that made Ruby’s heart melt; times like that day when he would come in humming the melody of a song or singing softly, his velvety smooth voice filling Ruby with warmth.

She couldn’t help but smile as Liam came through the door, quietly singing ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ to himself.

She heard the sound of his footsteps against the floorboards as he set the groceries on the bench and made his way over to her side. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek before burying his face in the curve of her neck.

Ruby let out a soft sigh, leaning back in her seat and melting into his warmth.

“How’s it going, darlin’?” he asked.

“It’s getting there,” Ruby groaned. “Agonisingly slowly.”

Liam pressed another kiss to the curve of her shoulder. “If you want something to smile about, I got you a present.”

“Lee, no,” Ruby protested.

He dug through the bags of shopping before picking out what he was looking for. He brought it back over to the table and held it out for Ruby.

She opened her mouth to protest, but burst into laughter when she saw what he was holding. The latest copy of the firefighter’s calendar. The photograph of a young firefighter with thick brown hair slouching back against the wall of a barn with his jacket hanging open to expose his firm abs was stretched across the cover. The young man had a radiant smile on his face as he held a golden retriever puppy up in the air.

“Are you serious?” Ruby asked between bouts of laughter.

“They were raising funds for the children’s hospital,” Liam said, his pale blue eyes sparkling.

 _Of course_ , Ruby thought, unable to hold back the smile that played across her lips.

“And it has puppies in it.”

 _Of course_.

He made grabby hands, taking it back from Ruby as he began to flip through the pages.

“Look at the puppies, Ruby,” he said excitedly, flipping through the pages. “Aren’t they so cute—”

His voice faltered, the smile falling from his face as he stared at the page.

Ruby craned her neck to see what he was looking at.

The man knelt on the ground, dressed in nothing but his pants, the bright red suspenders hanging by his thighs. The honey-golden skin of his bare abs was smeared in grey ash and glistening with sweat. His blue eyes were squinted shut in laughter as the small Dalmatian puppy craned their neck to gently lick his face. His short-cut blonde hair was darker than his brothers, but you could clearly see the resemblance.

“Is that?”

“Cole,” Liam seethed. His expression was unreadable as he rose to his feet, walked over to the bin and tossed the calendar into the recycling.

“Aw, Lee,” Ruby said softly, fighting her laughter.

“I think I need to bleach my eyeballs,” he said flatly.

“Lee,” Ruby called after him, fighting to smother her laugher. Her phone chimed as a new message lit up on the screen.

It was Cole. ‘Sen said she saw Lee buy a copy of the calendar.’

She glanced over her shoulder to where Lee groaned, muttering to himself as he started to put the groceries away. She quickly typed a response, ‘He threw it in the bin’, and sent the message.

A moment later, she got another text from Cole, nothing but laughing emojis.

Ruby rolled her eyes. ‘He was really excited about the puppies, and you ruined that’, she replied, only half intending to be harsh.

She heard Liam’s phone ring, the blaring siren he had set up for his brother’s ringtone. Liam hung up on him, only to have Cole ring again.

“He’s just going to keep ringing until you answer,” Ruby pointed out.

Liam muttered something under his breath as he answered the phone and put it on loud speaker.

The sound of Cole’s laughter rang out through the open space.

“Cole,” Ruby called, warningly.

It took him a second, but he finally stopped laughing. “ _Sorry about the calendar, Lee. I know you would’ve liked the puppies._ ”

“I hate you,” Liam muttered through gritted teeth, still pouting pathetically.

Cole burst out laughing again. “ _At least you didn’t get the non-puppy version_ — _that one’s more X-rated_.”

Liam cut him off, hanging up on him.

Ruby rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to her laptop.

A moment later, Liam’s phone chimed.

“Oh my God!” he cried out dropping his phone bac on the counter.

“What’s wrong?” Ruby asked, shoving back her chair and leaping to her feet.

Liam had his face buried in his hands, his face twisted in pain.

Ruby grabbed the phone, opening the last message he had gotten; a photo from Cole.

Or, rather, _of_ Cole.

He stood, leaning back against a wall with his head tilted back slightly. His eyes were half-lidded as he looked down the camera, his blue eyes darkened and his lips parted ever so slightly. His square jaw was shadowed with a slight growth and his short ashy-blonde hair pulled back from his face. He wasn’t wearing a jacket like the other firefighters were, his tanned skin glistening with a sheen of sweat and smeared with ash as wisps of smoke rose around him. His hips were angled forward, his thumbs hooked beneath the waistband of his pants, pulling it down just enough to expose the trail of hair that disappeared beneath his pants.

Liam let out a pained groan, the sound muffled slightly by his hands.

“I hate him,” Liam muttered.

Ruby chuckled slightly, deleting the photo from Liam’s phone so he wouldn’t have to look at it before setting it down on the counter and stepping over to the younger man’s side. She gently pried his hands away from his face, letting them fall instinctively at her waist as she wound her arms around his chest. She smiled up at him sweetly.

She craned her neck, gently bringing her lips to his in a sweet, tender kiss.

A soft smile lifted the corners of Liam’s lips as he looked at her.

“You’re better looking anyway,” Ruby whispered, kissing him again.

 

 

The next day, Ruby was back to work at her computer when the doorbell rang.

“I’ve got it,” Liam called as he leapt off the couch and ran to the door.

“Hey, little brother.”

The door slammed shut.

Ruby rolled her eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. “Lee,” she said warningly.

Liam huffed but opened the door again, letting Cole come inside.

“I’m sorry about yesterday,” he said.

“No, you’re not,” Liam countered, turning to walk into the open-plan kitchen and get his brother a drink.

Ruby saved her work and rose form her seat, ready to step between the two. She frowned in confusion when she saw Cole dressed in a puffer jacket, his hands buried in his pockets.

“Are you alright?” she asked hesitantly.

“I’m fine,” Cole replied. “I just came to see Lee and apologise.”

“Apology not accepted, you’re an asshat, please get out,” Liam called from the kitchen.

“Lee, hear me out,” Cole said, waiting for his brother to look up at him before continuing. “So, you know how all the puppies we did the photoshoot with were up for adoption?”

“No, but continue,” Liam prompted.

“Well, the station adopted the little Dalmatian puppy, and I couldn’t help but think about how you’ve always wanted a golden retriever since you were four.”

Liam froze, his eyes widening as he realised what his brother was saying.

Cole unzipped the front of his jacket, revealing the small pup that was curled up against his chest.

Liam let out a soft gasp.

The puppy squirmed, yipping excitedly as Cole set him down on the floor and let him run to Liam.

Liam fell to his knee, balling the puppy up in his arms. He began to sob, burying his face in the puppy’s soft fur and laughing as the dog tried to lick the tears that streamed down his face. It took him a moment, but he finally composed himself long enough to look up at Ruby.

“Please, darlin’?” he begged.

Ruby couldn’t help but smile. “He can stay.”

The look of pure joy on Liam’s face was enough to melt her heart.

“Lee?” Cole said, trying to get his brother’s attention. “I’m sorry.”

“I’ll forgive you this time,” Liam said quietly. “But you’re still an asshat.”

“I’ll take that.”

**Author's Note:**

> celestialvoid-fanfiction.tumblr.com


End file.
